1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a facsimile system having a mounting portion on which an electronic telephone directory card or other data memory card is freely detachably mounted.
2. Related Background Art
Facsimile systems have various advanced functions recently and are getting more and more multifunctional. With the advent of the advanced and multifunctional facsimile system, it becomes possible to register destinations or addressees in abbreviated dial sets, and thereof the number of operation input switches on the operator panel is tend to increase. The increase in the number of switches causes such a problem that individual switches are made too compact and thereby the operability is deteriorated.
In a system disclosed, for example, in FIG. 1 of Pat. application Ser. No. 468869 filed in Jan. 23, 1990, one operation input switch contains multiple input functions and selects any input function.
In compliance with the multifunctional move, an IC ROM card is installed to further multiply the functions of a facsimile system. The ROM card is used with its end connected to a connector of the facsimile system, thus increasing memory capacity of a main unit of the facsimile system.
However, if one facsimile system is shared among multiple users, the users' facsimile receiving stations differ from person to person. In the aforesaid prior system, the number of registrable abbreviated dial sets and the memory capacity are limited. Therefore, all of the multiple users cannot register their intended company names in memory of the main unit of a facsimile system.
To solve these problems, proposed in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 539344 filed on Jun. 18, 1990 is a facsimile system having a mounting portion on which an electronic telephone directory card or other data memory card having data input keys is freely detachably mounted or attached. Therein, the mounted data memory card can be operated externally. In this proposal, the mounting portion for mounting a card comprises a recess 31 in the main unit of the facsimile system and has the size of the data memory card as shown in FIG. 24. Card is inserted into the recess 31 from above or sideways, and then shifted laterally with springs to be positioned properly.
A card thus mounted works to communicate data with the main unit of a facsimile system. Information specified by operating keys on the card is sent as optical information from light emitting element on the back of the card into light receiving element in the main unit of the facsimile system.
However, in the foregoing facsimile system, a card is placed on the bottom of the recess 31 in the mounting portion and then positioned. Therefore, the card must be arranged not to cause a gap between the card and the bottom of the recess 31. If a gap is created between the card and facsimile system, light emitting elements on the back of the card and light receiving elements in the main unit of the facsimile system are positioned incorrectly. Due to insufficient light or incident external light, the light receiving elements may receive incorrect optical information.
To solve these problems, an earlier application filed Dec. 27, 1990 has proposed a facsimile system which assures a close contact between a card and a mounting portion of the main unit.
The facsimile system shown in FIG. 24 has a single recess 31 in the card mounting portion. If multiple data memory cards are used, it is required to find a place for storing cards excepts the one mounted. These cards may be missing because no specific place is prepared as a storage. A data memory card or an electronic telephone directory cam communicate with a facsimile system and make a call via the facsimile system. Individual users may possess own data memory cards. Since the facsimile system has only a single card mounting portion, some place must be reserved to store the data memory cards.